SlutWalk Hong Kong will take place for the fifth time, as part of the international SlutWalk movement. The movement begun in Toronto, in 2011, when a police officer told students at York University to avoid dressing like “sluts” if they wanted to avoid being sexually assaulted. This movement, which is against sexual violence, victim blaming and rape culture, is still much needed, in Hong Kong and other locations. Earlier this year, HKFP noted that sexual harassment at universities in Hong Kong is not rare, just rarely reported.

Recently, a sexual assault case against the former leader of Bridge of Rehabilitation Co was dismissed as the courts would not accept the testimony of a victim with the mental age of eight. This former care home leader has since come out with outlandish, victim-blaming statements, calling the mentally disabled victim “crazy”, “delusional” and saying she “seduced him”. This case has outraged people all over Hong Kong. On October 20 and 23, over 1,500 people protested against the systemic failure of the private residential care homes for the elderly and mentally disabled, in which sexual and other abuse is widespread.

Also in recent news, the owner of a bar drugged and raped a customer, but the initial rape charge against him was dropped, and he was sentenced to just 240 hours of community service. The judge stated that the perpetrator had a good “business mind” and didn’t want to ruin his future prospects.

These cases illustrate the need for us to raise awareness concerning sexual assault, victim blaming and rape culture. Please join us this year for SlutWalk Hong Kong 2016.

Demands:

1. Support victims – stop violence against women!
2. Independent investigation of “Bridge of Rehabilitation”, with representatives from patients’ families, patients themselves, parent organisations and social worker unions.
3. Increase public spending and end the privatisation and outsourcing of care homes – high quality care homes, safe from sexual and other abuse, should be a basic right.

]]>https://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/swhk%e8%95%a9%e5%a9%a6%e9%81%8a%e8%a1%8c-2014/feed/0slutwalkhongkongSWHK 2013 – Pictures etchttps://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/swhk-2013-pictures-etc/
https://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/swhk-2013-pictures-etc/#respondTue, 03 Dec 2013 20:39:48 +0000http://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/?p=486Continue reading →]]>It has been two years since we first marched on 04 Dec 2011. Here are some photos and other tidbits from this year’s SlutWalk Hong Kong, which took place on 24 Nov 2013. Thanks to everyone who participated and supported us this year!

This year will be the 3rd year SlutWalk Hong Kong has taken place, as part of the international SlutWalk movement which originated in Canada. Slutwalk Hong Kong is going to Lan Kwai Fong to have a protest action as a promotion of the 2013 march (Nov 24 will be Slutwalk). Legislative councilor Longhair is also coming to support this protest action.

Sexual violence against women has become more serious in Hong Kong and internationally, and the ideology of victim blaming, too. In May this year, the secretary for Security Lai Tung-Kwok said “Young women should avoid drinking too much”, when there was a shocking 60% increase in the number of rapes over the same period last year. We must say, “Rapists and rape culture are the cause of rape!”

(Please Note: A Chinese version of this press release has also been distributed.)

The third SlutWalk Hong Kong will be on 24 Nov, 2013. The movement started in 2011 when a police officer in Toronto spoke at a campus safety event at York University and told students not to ‘dress like sluts’ if they didn’t want to be sexually assaulted. After an initial protest, SlutWalks were started in various locations around the world, showing that the blaming of victims of sexual assault is a global problem.

Secretary Lai’s statement warning ‘young women’ to avoid ‘drinking too much’ in order to not be sexually assaulted illustrated how widespread patriarchal, victim-blaming views were within various government institutions.

In Hong Kong, 90% of victims do not report their assaults due to feelings of shame. In a recent survey, more than 25% of women in the territory indicated they had experienced domestic abuse, 20% of which had been raped. Hong Kong does NOT have legislation against marital rape.

In today neo-liberal environment, social services are being cut, with the burden for caring being further forced upon women. Meanwhile, the beauty industry continues to exploit women and distort social perceptions of femininity. Last year, the bus gang rape in India horrified the world, which saw the oppression of women getting worse.

The women’s movement must fight not only gender oppression but multiple forms of inequality, such as racial and social inequality, in order to succeed.

]]>https://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/pre-march-discussion-event-23-nov-2013/feed/0slutwalkhongkongSlutWalk Hong Kong 2013 – 24 Nov (Sunday/星期日)https://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/slutwalk-hong-kong-2013-24-nov-sunday%e6%98%9f%e6%9c%9f%e6%97%a5/
https://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/slutwalk-hong-kong-2013-24-nov-sunday%e6%98%9f%e6%9c%9f%e6%97%a5/#respondTue, 05 Nov 2013 10:35:23 +0000http://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/?p=467Continue reading →]]>This year, our third year, we will be meeting at 1300 in front of the Bell Tower (NOT: large TV screen) in Times Square and heading to Southorn Playground. Please join us in showing society that sexual violence and victim blaming are NOT acceptable!

]]>https://slutwalkhongkong.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/slutwalk-hong-kong-2013-24-nov-sunday%e6%98%9f%e6%9c%9f%e6%97%a5/feed/0slutwalkhongkongSecretary Lai told young women to not drink to much in order to avoid getting raped. WHAT? Join us at Times Square on 24 Nov (Sun) @ 1300.